The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Salmon Yospringfieldxe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fort Myers, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum cultivars that are suitable for year-round production with uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposing unrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yospringfield, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,755, to X-ray radiation. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within a population of plants of the irradiated selection in April, 1998, in Fort Myers, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, desirable inflorescence form and floret colors, fast response time, and excellent postproduction longevity. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the parent selection in ray floret color.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Fort Myers, Fla. in July, 1998. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Salmon Yospringfield has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, and/or light level, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Salmon Yospringfieldxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Salmon Yospringfieldxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum:
1. Uniform and upright plant habit.
2. Moderate vigor.
3. Dark green and glossy foliage.
4. Uniform flowering response.
5. Typically grown as a disbud-type.
6. Very early flowering, seven-week response time.
7. Large decorative-type inflorescences that are about 10.5 cm in diameter.
8. Soft salmon pink ray florets.
9. Excellent postproduction longevity with plants maintaining good substance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Yospringfield. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calif., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Yospringfield in ray floret coloration and in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous and taller than plants of the cultivar Yospringfield.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have slightly larger inflorescence than plants of the cultivar Yospringfield.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Salmon Charm, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,334. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Salinas, Calf., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Salmon Charm in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact and more outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar Salmon Charm.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about one week earlier than plants of the cultivar Salmon Charm.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Salmon Charm.